Electric cautery



Aug. 19, 1969 M, MAR WEZ 3,461,874 v ELECTRIC GAUTERY 2 "Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 10, 1966 68 mvmon Miguel Martinez BY aw ZZMJ ATTORNEY ug- 1969 M. MARTINEZ I "3,461,874

ELECTRIC CAUTERY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 10, 1966 mvmon Miguel Marl/he:

United States Patent 3,461,874 ELECTRIC CAUTERY Miguel Martinez, 6006 Hunt Ridge Road, Baltimore, Md. 21210 Filed Aug. 10, 1966, Ser. No. 571,606 Int. Cl. A611) 17/36 US. Cl. 128-30317 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hot wire cautery which is cordless having a tip separable from the handle which contains a storage battery. The jack arrangement used for this is also employed as a holder mount and a battery recharging connection for the handle when the latter is inserted into a charger stand. A light accessory comprising a sub-miniature incandescent lamp on a lead can be plugged into the handle for diagnostic use. A mercury switch in the handle permits control of the current merely by changing the attitude of the instrument. Where this form of control is not desired, a concealed reed switch and external magnetic actuator is provided.

This invention relates generally to surgery devices, and more particularly it pertains to a battery operated cautery.

With the advent of new types of storage batteries, it has become feasible to make many electrical devices cordless, thus adding to the convenience of use. However, as is well known, electric heating requires considerable power. At low voltages, which is the usual case with a low resistance cautery heater loop, this power is represented by a heavy current. Therefore, the positive switching on and off of the power presents problems in a light-weight compact unit especially where reliability is important as in surgery.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of this invention to provide a cordless electric cautery of the pencil type which is reliable and always ready and easy to use.

Another object of this invention is to provide a storage and charging receptacle for a pencil type electric cautery and its accessories.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an attitude switchable electric cautery for surgery.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a plug-in, interchangeable, electric cautery tip for practically instantaneous replacement in a cautery type device.

Other objects and attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily apparent and understood from the following detailed specification and accompanyin g drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electric caute'ry and charging arrangement embodying features of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the electric cautery showing a tip changing feature thereof;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section of the charger;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section of the cautery handle and tip;

FIG. 5 depicts an accessory diagnostic light for use with the handle of the electric cautery;

FIG. 6 illustrates the use of the light accessory of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary detail in section showing a second embodiment of the cautery handle.

Referring now to the details of the invention as shown in FIG. 2, the novel electric cautery 10 consists of a handle assembly 12 and a plug-in cautery tip assembly 14.

The handle assembly 12, as best shown in FIG. 4, consists of a tubular plastic case 18 housing a chargeable 3,461,874 Patented Aug. 19, 1969 electric battery 20. The end of the case 18 is fitted with a reduced tapering cap 22 having an end hole 23 behind which is mounted a two conductor jack 24. The other end of the case 18 is closed.

The terminal 25 of the jack 24 is connected by means of a lead 34 directly to a battery terminal 33. The other terminal 26 of the jack 24 connects with a switch lead 30 to a mercury switch 28 and thence by the other switch lead 32 to battery terminal 35. The mercury switch 28 is oriented so as to be on when the closed battery end of the case 18 is uppermost and off when the case 18 is horizontal or downwardly inclined toward the battery end, or any range of conditions between 90 and 0, and preferably between 40 to 35 and 15 to 10.

The tip assembly 14 consists of a ferrule 36 in one end of which is mounted a two-terminal plug 38 which mates with the previously mentioned jack 24 of the handle assembly 12 and which may advantageously be of the telephone plug type.

Stilt leads 42 and 44 from the plug 38 extend out from the other end of the ferrule 36 through a plastic plug 46 and are welded to a loop heater element of platinum or similar refractory resistance wire or strip.

As shown in FIG. 1, a charger stand 16 is provided for storing the handle assembly 12 when it is not in use as well as for holding various accessories such as tips 14, a cleaning brush 74, etc. in bores 72. This charger stand 16 consists of a hollow plastic case 48 of rectangular at the base and tapering to round configuration at the top thereof. Within the case 48, as best shown in FIG. 3 a diametrical supporting flange 5'0 is provided for a cylindrical receptacle 52, centrally positioned and held flush at the top by means of ribs 54.

Within a central bore 56 in receptacle 52, there is vertically mounted a plug 58 similar to the previously mentioned plug 38. Leads 60 connect this plug 58 to a charger unit 62. The charger unit 62 is retained in the rectangular portion of the case 48 by internal ribs 64 and it is secured by a cover plate 66 and screws 68.

An electric cord 70 extends externally from the charger unit 62 for attachment to a mains supply.

When the cautery 10 is to be placed in use, a tip assembly 14 is plugged into the handle assembly 12 and when the loop element 40 is directed downwardly to be applied to a patient, the mercury switch 28 closes the circuit from the battery 20 causing the element 40- to incandesce. To shut oil the circuit, the operator needs only to bring the handle to horizontal or direct the tip upwardly.

With the tip 14 removed and stored in a bore 72 of the charger stand 16 and the handle assembly 12 jacked into the plug 58, a continuous trickle charge is automatically applied to the battery 20 maintaining it always in readiness for use.

A handy accessory 76 for use with the handle assembly 12 as illustrated in FIG. 5 is a diagnostic lamp consisting of a plug 78, with a grain of wheat subminiature lamp bulb 82 interconnected by a length of leads 80. This accessory 76 is shown in use to view the interior of a body cavity such as the nasal passage N in FIG. 6.

FIG. 6 and detail view FIG. 7 also illustrate another embodiment or modification of the handle which is useful where working upwardly and the previously mentioned mercury switch 28 would not turn on (unless installed inverted).

Here a reed switch 92 which works by magnetic proximity is employed instead. A resilient blade 96 having a magnet tip 98 is mounted on the case 18. When this blade 96 is depressed by the thumb of the operator toward the case 18 and the switch 92 therein, the paramagnetic reed 94 of the latter is attracted and caused to close the circuit to battery 20' in any attitude of the instrument.

The reference numerals 22, 23', 24, and 26' correspond to their unprimed reference counterparts of the previously recited first embodiment.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cautery system comprising handle structure containing an electric circuit having a ire-chargeable source of electrical power including a socket connected therewith and a cautery tip assembly including plug-in means for electrically connecting in said electrical circuit socket to heat said cautery tip assembly, a base on the handle structure opposite the said socket, and a charging means, the improvement comprising: plug-in means interchangeable with said cautery tip for recharging said source of electric power including an upwardly facing electric element affixed in a stand, and gravity switch means in the handle structure adapted for breaking said electric circuit when the said socket is oriented upwardly and for establishing said electric circuit when the said 4 socket is oriented downwardly, whereby the said circuit is broken automatically when the handle is stood on the base for removal of the cautery tip and the said circuit is established automatically when the socket end of the handle is directed downwardly onto the said upwardly facing electric element for recharging.

2. In an electric cautery as recited in claim 1, wherein said switch means is of the mercury type.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,625,356 4/1927 Geulen 12823 2,512,089 6/1950 Cervin ZOO-61.47 XR 3,229,084 1/1966 Bates 335205 XR 3,234,356 2/1966 Babb l28303.l4 XR 3,295,514 1/1967 Hein et a1. 128303.14 XR OTHER REFERENCES Mueller and Co. Catalogue No. 65, 1963, p. 24.

L. W. TRAPP, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 12823; 174-46 

